Town and League One Sheffield Wednesday are reported to be fighting it out for the signature of released Wigan midfielder Jason Koumas. The former Wales international was signed by the Blues’ assistant manager Chris Hutchings during his time as boss of the Latics and also by current Owls chief Gary Megson when he was at West Brom.

Having been a youth player at Liverpool, the 31-year-old began his senior career with Tranmere, moving on to the Baggies after four years as a pro at Prenton Park for a fee of £2.25 million in 2002.

After he had been at Cardiff on loan, Hutchings took the Wrexham-born player to Wigan for £5.3 million in July 2007.

His four-year spell at the DW Stadium wasn’t a huge success, the 5ft 10in tall midfielder making only 36 starts and 25 sub appearances, scoring two goals.

Koumas, who was capped 34 times by his country, scoring 10 goals before retiring from international football in 2009, spent last season on loan back at Cardiff but again failed to make a significant impact, scoring two goals in six starts and a further 21 games from the bench.

Earlier today, TWTD Message Board posts claimed Koumas had been spotted with his agent at Portman Road late last week. Other clubs at Championship and League One level are also likely to be interested.

Meanwhile, Doncaster Rovers are reported to have turned down an offer of £2.8 million for striker Billy Sharp from an unnamed Championship club. That side is unlikely to be the Blues, who had an earlier £2.3 million offer rebuffed, with manager Paul Jewell having ruled out a renewed move for the former Sheffield United man.

Elsewhere, Dundee United winger Craig Conway, claimed to be a Town target by Scottish papers towards the end of the season, has joined Cardiff City on a three-year deal.

And finally, former Town striker Neil Woods has been appointed head of youth development at Walsall.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich24 added 16:00 - Jun 23 Not sure about this was a really good player few years back Neil Danns for me please
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blue_em_away added 16:03 - Jun 23 Not sure on this one. The jury is out with me. I thought this guy was gonna be a star years ago but has been blowing cold for a long time now. But.... I trust in PJ's judgement.
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fourth added 16:07 - Jun 23 They're going to need their own chef with Wigan Chip Pie expertise
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comeonthegoodtimes added 16:12 - Jun 23 Whoppit - No, it was just that you talk so much C**p that i guessed you never actually go and watch any games so thought of a country far away and with America being a big country i used that, Could have quite easily been Australia....... But thanks for proving a point that you really haven't got much of a clue about what happens around our club and that is why you come out with so much dripple.......:-)

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whoppit added 16:14 - Jun 23 "Dripple"?? Clearly time to leave whoppit behind and grab myself another user name. See you all later fans....
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LancsBlue added 16:18 - Jun 23 I think Jewell would need to "look him in the eye" as with Ellington. If the spark, the hunger, the desire and the passion are still there he is potentially an inspirational signing. If not, he could be a financial liability as wages won't be cheap. Luckily we have a manager that I trust to make that call.
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comeonthegoodtimes added 16:20 - Jun 23 You do that - Thought of one for you, W*nkerdoodledandy.
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superted added 16:29 - Jun 23 can be almost unplayable on his day, but his attitude could be an issue. Personally would be delighted if we got him, we need a creative midfielder desperately. if you look at the teams that went up, QPR had Taraabt, Norwich had Lansbury (and pacheco to an extent) and Swansea had Allen. I think if we want to go up we need a player like Koumas or someone else of his ilk

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itfc1981 added 16:46 - Jun 23 Pauliejaz credible link? oh dear
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Bobby_Petta added 16:54 - Jun 23 Why is it a problem that he is a free? This guy has quality, would be a excellent playmaker, 10 times better play than Norris, he can pass! Paul Jewell is the man to pull this one off, Why spend millions when you can get decent plays on a free. Paul Jewell is the kind of manager who can get the best out of those sort of players, unlike Keane players what to play for him.

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bluetoba added 17:01 - Jun 23 Dare i comment? O.K...61 games in 5 year spell for a relegation fighting prem club aint that amazing is it? However, Jewells done good in my book so far.
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Tiggs added 17:04 - Jun 23 For Ipswich Town read Wigan cast-offs!!!!!
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depressed added 17:07 - Jun 23 "36 starts over a 5 year period with Wigan" That stat alone is rather a concern. IMO think we should be setting the bar slightly higher.
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buryblue77 added 17:18 - Jun 23 Has always struggled with fitness (a bit like Bullard) And a similar type of player to him too although I wouldn't quite put him there, always thought over the years especially when he was at his best that he was one of those players who is a bit too good for the Championship but not quite good enough for the Prem. Still would happily have him here, think he could do a job for a couple of years even if it's for 60 mins or coming on from the bench for last half hour.

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Mark added 17:22 - Jun 23 I have always thought of him as a quality player. We need someone who is creative, can score goals from midfield and, important, take free-kicks which I believe Koumas does well. 64 league goals in 370 games (1 in 5.8) is a goal ratio better than our strikers over recent seasons! He's also scored 10 in 34 for Wales. On a free transfer, I'd be very happy with him especially if Jewell could get the best out of him.

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saffronblue added 17:33 - Jun 23 I think he would improve our current squad and would certainly take a better deadball than Leadbetter however I would prefer some youth, energy and appetite in the middle of the park. Whilst I would like him to sign I think this is a short term patch up job and would like us to be buying for the future. How about some gems from the Euro U21's
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Mr_Evans added 17:38 - Jun 23 Just the type of player that we need in, does anyone remember him allways scoring against us while at WBA? Very good at set-pieces, and with 2 young and fast wide players he could really split defences with his passing quality.
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naa added 17:57 - Jun 23 whoppit. Jewell has said many times that he wants a full squad. He currently has a threadbare one. If he needs 7 players orr so then he can't possibly pay decent money for all of them. The quesiton is, does he have some bigger signings in mind. Another thing, do people seriously think that a club that has been mid-table for several seasons can attract big players? Simple fact is that we probably can't. Having said all that, I thnk Koumas could fit the bill. Getting a little long in the tooth (but not much) and getting him on a free would be excellent.

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naa added 17:58 - Jun 23 Phil, did Koumas really spend five years at Wigan, after joining in 2007? Have I slept through a few years? Or stumbled through them in a drunken haze? Did I miss Ipswich's glorious promotion under the God Roy Keane who was then snapped up by Man United?
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tractorboybig added 18:02 - Jun 23 naa they have to keep you thinking what they might do or they wouldnt sell season tickets. and if he is on a free just what we want. |We could heve the biggest squAd in the championship, all of them cast offs and free. Dont make us a better team.
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naa added 18:05 - Jun 23 tractorboybig: "We could heve the biggest squAd in the championship, all of them cast offs and free. Dont make us a better team" very true, but Koumas was clearly a decent player - much better than Norris could ever hope to be. The only issue around him now is his fitness and desire. I'd say they were worth a risk if he's free.
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GTRKing added 18:05 - Jun 23 He ok but need younger players not short term players we need long term players
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naa added 18:07 - Jun 23 GTRKing: we actually need both, which is what Jewell has said. Now we need to see if he's all mouth or not.
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jocasaja added 18:12 - Jun 23 We need a creative midfielder - could be a good signing - with CW likely to go we should then be able to raise the bar on the quality of players that can be brought in - IF they want to come ??
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Mungo added 18:21 - Jun 23 Nothing wrong with a good free transfer - Jason De Vos, Shefki Kuqi, Neil Alexander, Kelvin Davis, Sylvain Legwinski, Jaime Peters - all free transfers that the club has had great value out of in recent years. If PJ thinks Koumas can still do a job for us at the right price then he should go for it. Like Ellington, JK needs to get his career back on track this year, so will need to impress...

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